Section 5 Content creation step-by-step guides

PowerPoint: Using graphics

Graphics, used in moderation within a presentation can help reinforce points of learning for students or be used as part of an activity within the presentation. Once inserted into the presentation, graphics can be resized, cropped and manipulated, and they can also include Hotspotsor be used as Hyperlinks to other slides or files (see PowerPoint: Hyperlinks, internal and external for more information on this technique).

  1. Open the presentation Virtual Ilam located in CC_content folder on the CD-ROM accompanying this pack, and view it to familiarise yourself with its concepts. You may want to keep this file open to refer to as you work through this activity.

This file is an adaptation of a learning resource A Virtual Walkwhich is available for download in its original format from the AClearn website [

  1. Start PowerPoint and open (File Open) the incomplete version of the above presentation (virtualilam_incomplete1.ppt) located in CC_content folder on the CD-ROM accompanying this pack.
  2. Select slide 2, insert the picture from Ilam ppt_ilam.jpg (Insert Picture From File)and position it underneath the slide heading.


Notice that the Picture toolbar opens, which will allow you to edit the image if required. Experiment with some of these options if you want to.

Figure 1: PowerPoint Picture toolbar

  1. Add alternative text to your images (which will be displayed by any web browser that does not display images):first click on them, select Format Picture or right-click and select Format Picture then select the Web tag.
  2. For this presentation, you are going to use images for the Back and Next buttons. Slide 2 requires a Next button. Insert the image ppt_next.gifand position it near the bottom of the slide. Adding Hyperlinks to the buttons is covered in PowerPoint: Hyperlinks, internal and external.
  3. Slide 3 requires a Back and Next button. Insert the Next button as before, then repeat the process, selecting ppt_back.gif for the Back button.
  4. Insert Back and Next buttons on slides 4 and 8, and a Next button only on slide 5.

Note: a quicker way to achieve this is to select both images on slide 3 (hold down the Shift key to select multiple images), copy the selection and paste it into the appropriate slides. This method will also ensure that the buttons appear in the same place on every slide.

  1. Slides 6 and 7 require animage of the map of Ilam. Insert the image ppt_map.jpg and resize it to fill the available space on the slide by holding the mouse over one of the corner white edge markers until a double-headed arrow appears () and clicking and dragging to the required size.
  2. Finally, insert the image ppt_tea.jpgon slide 10, resizing if required.
  3. Save your file to your floppy disk and preview your work by selecting Slide Show View Show or by pressing the F5 key on the keyboard.

Move on to PowerPoint: Hyperlinks, internal and externalto find out how to link your buttons.


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